Obama Pardons 17 People; His First Pardons In More Than A Year

Eyder Peralta

President Obama, who has issued few pardons during his time in office, announced on Friday that he had pardoned 17 people convicted of mostly minor offenses.

The AP reports:

"No one well-known was on the list released by the White House. Some of the crimes drew light penalties in the first place such as a North Carolina woman sentenced to two years' probation and 100 hours of community service for distributing satellite cable decryption devices.

"A dozen of the 17 had been placed on probation. The other five had been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 54 days to five years. For those placed on probation, the length ranged from one year to five years."

CBS' Mark Knoller, a trove of useful statistics, reports on Twitter that today's pardons bring Obama's total to 39, the "fewest of any president since James Garfield in 1881."

An Na Peng Honolulu, Hawaii.Offense: Conspiracy to defraud the Immigration and Naturalization Service,18 U.S.C. 371.Sentence: Two years probation, $2,000 fine.

Michael John Petri Montrose, South Dakota.Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of a controlledsubstance (cocaine), 21 U.S.C. 841(a), 846.Sentence: Five years imprisonment, three years supervised release.

Karen Alicia Ragee Decatur, Illinois.Offense: Conspiracy to traffic counterfeit goods, 18 U.S.C. 371, 2320.Sentence: One year of probation with six months of home confinement, $2,500 fine.

Jamari Salleh Alexandria, Virginia.Offense: False claims upon and against the United States, 18 U.S.C. 287, 2.Sentence: Four years probation, $5,000 fine, $5,900 restitution.

Donald Barrie Simon, Jr. Chattanooga, Tennessee.Offense: Aiding and abetting in the theft of an interstate shipment, 18 U.S.C. 659, 2.Sentence: Two years imprisonment, three years probation.

Lynn Marie Stanek Tualatin, Oregon.Offense: Unlawful use of a communication facility to distribute cocaine,21 U.S.C. 843(b).Sentence: Six months in jail, five years probation conditioned on residence in acommunity treatment center for a period not to exceed one year.

Donna Kaye Wright Friendship, Tennessee.Offense: Embezzlement and misapplication of bank funds, 18 U.S.C. 656.Sentence: 54 days imprisonment, three years probation conditioned on performance of six hours of community service per week.